[Closed] Say some discouraging words about road bikes

Hello, beoufcube, glad you're still with us.

I bought a road bike for a 20-mile commute when I decided to MTFU to avoid a rail ticket of £1,800 p.a.

I thought it would be just practical but, well, boring.

Now I find (now that the constant pain has gone after a couple of months) that it's actually - gulp - enjoyable!

Go to old boy, go to!! 8)

A work colleague has been hit by a car this morning. He was on the main road and she car pulled out at a give way and side swiped him out.

He's ok but shook up.

She insisted that it was his fault as she had seen him but he should have slowed to let her out.

Mark Cavendish said something to the tune of: "if you can't stand pain, you shouldnt be on a road bike".

To paraphrase Lance Armstrong

'[i]PLEASURE???? I don't do it for the pleasure; I do it for the pain.[/i]'

I've got this for sale at the moment, 55cm frame, Tiagra equipped, only ridden 400 miles, £700 or £670 if you collect or I deliver, Lancs, W.Yorks or Gtr Manchester. Built for comfort and in almost new condition.

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If you have even a hint of masochist in you then road bikes are great, it doesn't have to hurt mind but it's best when it does! 8)

To be fair it is different than mtbing, not worse or better, just different. Give it a whirl.

Roadies are all closet bumders, who dress in drag and tug each other off to keep warm.

Oh and they all take roids. And smell of cheese.

As soon as you purchase a road bike your balls will shrivel up and you will become a eunuch.

She insisted that it was his fault as she had seen him but he should have slowed to let her out.

the death penalty is too good for her.
may she have to ride a unicycle in the firey pits of hell getting run over by a thousand juggernauts delivering infinite pain a million times a day.
(sorry, drinking Prosecco at work is frying my marbles)

OP, I am also road bike curious. But here's the thing:
- There's a 30-mile road loop with no traffic that I ride when it's too muddy to ride anything decent off road. Doing this same loop on the MTB must be giving me better fitness than if on a road bike, all other factors being equal. I therefore don't buy that added fitness argument.
- I overtook a fully-clad roadie up a long hill on that ride last Sat. I'm in jeans and a pair of Vans. Amazing! Have it you t**t! (Apologies)
- If you or I were to spunk a grand on another bike right before xmas, how do you think that's going to go down with the wife?
- Posture, back pain, hand pain etc

I don't know. We're in a similar position and I'm also trying to keep myself at bay!

You will end up brain dead after breathing in all those diesel and petrol fumes, then develop an unnatural attraction toward other men, like Paul Weller, then you'll grow sideburns, learn to speak French, engage in long trips in the Mountains, win gold medals, have bloody media chasing you everywhere..

She insisted that it was his fault as she had seen him but he should have slowed to let her out

😯

If she really did mean that (may have been trying to deal with the guilt of nearly killing someone) then she should have her licence taken off her until she's been re-taught and re-tested. Simply for the safety of anyone else who's anywhere near her when she's driving - whether they're in a car, on a bike or walking!

I've got this for sale at the moment, 55cm frame, Tiagra equipped, only ridden 400 miles, £700 or £670 if

You can get new bikes for less with better spec 😕

There's a 30-mile road loop with no traffic that I ride when it's too muddy to ride anything decent off road. Doing this same loop on the MTB must be giving me better fitness than if on a road bike, all other factors being equal. I therefore don't buy that added fitness argument.

If you insist on riding the same distance there's perhaps something in that, although MTB gearing allows you to crawl up anything resembling an incline, while a road bike requires more MTFU. If you do the same duration of training you'll go further.

I overtook a fully-clad roadie up a long hill on that ride last Sat. I'm in jeans and trainers. Amazing! Have it you t**t! (Apologies)

No one said that you'd win the TdF if you buy a road bike. You will go quicker on a road bike, that's not to say that you will instantly be faster than anyone on an MTB. I find it odd that anyone struggles with that concept. A Fiesta doing 70 is quicker than a Ferrari doing 60. See how it works?

Posture, back pain, hand pain etc

Are all completely non-existent problems. My MTB is far less comfortable on the road.

- I overtook a fully-clad roadie up a long hill on that ride last Sat. I'm in jeans and a pair of Vans. Amazing! Have it you t**t! (Apologies)

Yes well done, thats happened to me when I've been riding / training in Z2.

Come and have a play when I'm in Z5 with the hammer down and we'll see whose fastest then eh?

A Fiesta doing 70 is quicker than a Ferrari doing 60. See how it works?

Good analogy.

Also an MTBer btw...

Then again, there are other kinds of road bike..

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Just get one. They're great.

£700 for a Bianchi!? Nah, just get one of these [url= http://www.sportsdirect.com/viking-vuelta-bike-933081 ]beeeauties[/url]

OP, I am also road bike curious. But here's the thing:
- There's a 30-mile road loop with no traffic that I ride when it's too muddy to ride anything decent off road. Doing this same loop on the MTB must be giving me better fitness than if on a road bike, all other factors being equal. I therefore don't buy that added fitness argument.

I hate riding the MTB on the road now that I've got a road (oriented) bike. (disc braked CX on slicks) So I just plod along, whereas on the roadie I feel like there's a point to pushing hard. I did a 60 mile jaunt around the countryside a while back, no way I'd have done (or enjoyed) even a 30 mile road ride on the MTB.

It's good, but different, not a replacement to MTB.

road bikes make the world a flatter place.

I bought one purely for training purposes, it helped me push bigger gears on climbs basically. On a road bike, on a steep climb, you simply have no choice but to maintain speed and sweat it out, or get off. Gearing of an MTB allows you to just trundle up hills at a snails pace, spinning like crazy. Helped my leg strength and endurance no end. And served its purpose - helped me to enjoy MTBing even more!

Went off topic there - in answer to your post - some discouraging words about road bikes - they smell and listen to One Direction

Wow.

Nearly two pages and we've managed to avoid the patronising and frankly disgusting use of the word
'Darkside'.

Oh bugger, hang on a sec.......

The only real danger with road bikes is that it's much easier to bike up and go, much less fading about.
My stumpy hardly came off its peg for 4 years when I bought a road bike, the plus side is I'm much fitter cause of it so riding the mob is much easier.
Just do it ffs

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If I never had to clean, fettle or replace parts then I would ride mountain bikes exclusively.

Unfortunately I am not rich or talented enough at bike riding to pay someone else or have someone else pay someone else to do those things.

Over the last year the MTB has had new wheels, new brake pads, new tyres, new cassette, new pedals, new grips, new shifters, tubes and tubeless conversion kit.

The road bike I have had for three years. It has only required new tyres, tubes and chains.

Distance road bike: mountain bike is at a 4:1 ratio over a few 1000 kms. Cost of MTB:Road bike is about 40:1.

The discouraging thing about road biking for me is skill doesn't seem to count for as much as strength and endurance do.

Road biking gives you a firmer behind. Scientific FACT
Evidence: I've only been wolf-whistled once. I was on my road bike at the time
Q.E.D.

Kryton57 - Member
Yes well done, thats happened to me when I've been riding / training in Z2.

Come and have a play when I'm in Z5 with the hammer down and we'll see whose fastest then eh?

You'll end up giving cyclists a bad name by saying things like this.

There's a 30-mile road loop with no traffic that I ride when it's too muddy to ride anything decent off road. Doing this same loop on the MTB must be giving me better fitness than if on a road bike, all other factors being equal. I therefore don't buy that added fitness argument.

I was exactly the same before I added a road bike to my collection. Used to go out on an MTB on slicks (and still do). The first day after I'd done the same loop on my road bike I woke up sore. Whether the riding position was a factor in that, I don't know. But the road bike likes to push you. And it really comes alive on the hills.

If you have good riding roads around you it's very addictive too.

@ davidtaylforth - To be honest my comment regarding overtaking a roadie on an MTB was cocky in retrospect hence I was asking or it from Kryton57 and/or anyone else.

Passing a roadie uphill happens maybe once/twice a year. One glance at the website that shall not be named confirms that at least 2/3rds of roadies whip me on the road hills, naturally.

At the Kielder 100 two years back, a young guy who placed very high was telling us how road biking had helped his fitness no end. I hung on his words as he'd done so well in such a hard race, but also couldn't help but think, "can't I keep my heart rate in the same zone(s) for the same amount of time on an MTB, on the road, even if it is a shitty experience? At least I'm saving myself GBP X,XXX". Why is this notion so taboo / unexplored?

Deep down, most likely I'm just trying to last out another winter before N+1, like the OP, whom I was addressing in my post.

Merry Christmas.

OP: I've just come through this traumatic phase myself, I share your pain. For the last 10 + years I've commuted every day on my big fat MTB...from FS to HT, from Alu to Steel frames. Had lots of fun, especially once I'd sussed out where all the wee jumps and bits of dirt track where enroute.....however.....I obviously went through multiple components AND I was always having to fettle with this and that when going proper MTBing. Forks, brakes, chain, seat, tyre pressures etc etc. Much fettling also seemed to got on Mrs Rosscopeco's nerves 😕

After much painful thought, sweat and tears I took the plunge last month and bought a Cotic Road rat....and (whispering) I'm surprised just how much I like it 😯 It'll never replace the MTB, it's just designed to go fast on the road...and being a steel frame is amazingly compliant.

I opted for a Single Speed set up...I guarantee my fitness is improving! Another + side is almost zero maintenance and....much to Mrs R's likings I don't spend half as much time fettling in the garage 😉

Jumping onto the MTB now genuinely seems to be even better fun. Can't explain why, but it is.

Go on...what can possibly go wrong! 😆

Your legs will hurt.
You'll need to buy new 'relaxed fit' jeans.
You'll drop all your mtb mates on the climbs.
You'll need to explain to your SO that "yes I do need bib-shorts".
You'll keep clicking on that road.cc link down there.
You'll have to buy more stuff.
You might not regret it.

You might start thinking of a cyclocross bike as a good idea on your local singletrack

At the Kielder 100 two years back, a young guy who placed very high was telling us how road biking had helped his fitness no end. I hung on his words as he'd done so well in such a hard race, but also couldn't help but think, "can't I keep my heart rate in the same zone(s) for the same amount of time on an MTB, on the road, even if it is a shitty experience? At least I'm saving myself GBP X,XXX". Why is this notion so taboo / unexplored?

Ben Thomas, who's won Kielder, does a lot of road riding on an MTB (5+ hour rides), he does have a road bike, but it's not compulsory. It is a much more enjoyable experience though on the road.

I got a cheapish road bike, mainly to try it out... Love it, it's great. Hammering a straight, getting to the top of the mountain, the downhill on the other side, cruising along twisty country roads... Lovely.

BUT: there are great roads round here for riding, with not too much traffic. If there aren't decent roads near you, don't get one.

After much painful thought, sweat and tears I took the plunge last month and bought a Cotic Road rat....and (whispering) I'm surprised just how much I like it

Overpriced hybrid to appeal to MTB sensibilities, Definately not a road bike.

Mr Smith, that's the the equivilant of being gay without penetration

Evidently it's only gay if your balls touch?

Road cycling = endorphins

Mountain biking = endorphins + ADRENALINE!

Why only go for half the chemical kick???

I've just completed my first week of road bike ownership. I was probably the worlds biggest road bike denier so have had to take loads of stick from my mates (those who converted years ago and those who never will!)

For me, I find that a lot of my riding opportunities are too short to be worth cleaning up everything. I also wanted to ride my 18 miles commute. Tried on the MTB and it is too much like hard work.

So far I have ridden 60miles this week that I otherwise wouldn't have done.

And I got a £1k Cannondale Synapse on Ride2Work for less than £50 per month which makes is practically free.....

Bend over and reach for the bidon.

Mwaxx

Rules compliant = neck ache
Round here they're a grim cheerless looking bunch.

I like my budget anti-rules bianchi though. Nice for a potter along the coast roads and some relaxed cruising from place to place...flame if you wish....

im new to road bikes, had a check over my giant defy yesterday to make sure its good for the next ride and i found salt corrosion, i used it 4 days previously for a 20mile loop that i do and hadnt washed it after, the cheap nasty brakes had a nice bit of white corrosiony stuff coming along nicely and a rusty chain, lesson learnt, road ride+winter= wash and lube after.

Road bikes are great if riding:

alone
with no computer / hrm / strava
on roads with very few cars
a bike that fits correctly
a route that has a real climb.

The most pleasurable moments on a road bike are when things are at their hardest and you are suffering.

Other than that, they and most people that ride them can be quite boring.

Strava is part of the reason i bought mine, riding with no aim or times to beat is boring, (apart from when exploring on a nice sunny day once in a while) I started of unable to push the hardest gear at all, yet now im in the top 15% of times in my town, makes me want to keep pushing to get faster and faster.

Overpriced hybrid to appeal to MTB sensibilities, Definately not a road bike.

MrSmith: I don't and wouldn't for a minute dispute your point, the bike bit anyway, the marketing hype worked for me and I'm happy....simple and easily convinced....but happy. Incidentally I shelled out less than £200 for the whole thing 😉

Road bikes are great if riding:

alone
snip/
/Snip
Other than that, they and most people that ride them can be quite boring.

Speak for yourself, Other people, a bit of banter and nob gags makes the miles fly by. That and opening the door to the hurt locker.(or having it opened for you)

Riding alone is good, but riding in a bunch is far better!

It got to the stage where I couldn't see the cultural divide any more. I just wanted to ride more.